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MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



REPORT ON ORCHARDS. 



BY J. B. DURAND, TRAIRIE CITY. 



I wish to give a few observations and calculations which I have 

 made on actual experience or trials. I object to making theoretical cal- 

 culations in any branch of business, and much more so in the products 

 of our orchards. Neither do I approve of taking the products of a sin- 

 gle, or even a dozen trees, and upon the yield of these, make calculations 

 of an orchard of several thousand trees. If you do this you will cer- 

 tainly be disappointed. Just as certain as was the lady, who, with one 

 speckled hen, obtained one egg each day ; she purchased one hundred 

 speckled h^ns, calculating on just one hundred idee fresh eggs each day, 

 but what was her chagrin when it took a whole week to obtain that num- 

 ber. So It will be with the orehardist who calculates the income from a 

 large orchard on the proceeds of a few individual trees. 



When I planted my orchard I tried to keep my estimates below, 

 rather than above, but I have not reached more than one-half my most 

 sanguine expectations. However, I am not discouraged, when com- 

 paring my receipts with those of my neighbors, who have been engaged 

 in other vocations. 



The figures I give below include one year of nearly a total failure. 

 This record is the actual sales, in barrels, for the four years named, not 

 taking into account any that were evaporated, made into cider, sold, or 

 used at home, which would about pay expenses. 



1885. 



Winesap and Gilpin, all ci^er. 



